UF/IFAS EXTENSION SARASOTA COUNTY

ENERGY WATER
SAVINGS
Sarasota County households spend an
SAVINGS
Sarasota County residents spend an
average of $1,200 on energy annually. average of $850 on their water annually.

TURN IT OFF! TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS

• Turn off lights, fans, and electronics when leaving the
room. It adds up.
• Consider air drying your clothes.
BUY SMART, USE SMART
• When replacing appliances and electronics, look for
the ENERGY STAR® rating.
• Set your water heater to 120 degrees F for greater
energy savings.
Pro Tip: Replacing a lightbulb with a long-lasting,
high-efficiency LED bulb can save $15 per year.
SEAL IT UP
• Sealing leaks and gaps in your home with caulk, tape,
or other insulation can save up to $180 a year.
• Close exterior doors.
• Check that your refrigerator has a tight seal.
HEATING/COOLING
• 49% of home energy use goes to air
conditioning and heating.
• Set your thermostat to 78-82 degrees F for summer
and 65-68 degrees F for winter.
• Maintaining air conditioner filters regularly can lower
your energy consumption by 5-15%.
• Close window coverings in the summer to block
out heat.
• Reducing your daily, 10-minute shower to just 5
minutes can save 7,300 gallons of water yearly.
• Use a low-flow showerhead for additional annual
savings of 3,650 gallons!
FIX LEAKY TOILETS
• Leaky toilets can waste up to 200 gallons a day.
• Is your toilet running? Put a dye tablet or food
coloring in your tank and wait 30 minutes. If you see
color in the bowl, you have a leak.
Pro Tip: Replacing your toilet flapper is
an easy fix for most leaks.
WAIT TO WASH DISHES
• Let your dishes soak in the sink or a tub to make
cleaning easy and save 12,775 gallons annually.
• Using a dishwasher? Try running it every other day
to save about 1,900 gallons a year.
WATCH THE WEATHER; WAIT TO WATER
• Follow Sarasota County’s irrigation restrictions and
water your landscape only once per week, providing
½-¾ inch of water.
• Save 300 gallons of water per 1,000 square feet of
landscape by skipping a week of irrigating.
• Skip weeks where there is a ½ inch or more of
rain and during the cool weather months of
January and February.

BEWARE VAMPIRE LOADS DON’T SINK YOUR MONEY

• When replacing appliances and electronics, look for • Shut off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving.
the ENERGY STAR® rating. • Every minute your tap runs, you could be
• Set your water heater to 120 degrees F wasting up to 2.5 gallons of water.
for energy savings. • A faucet aerator can cut your use in half.

Kits include LED light bulbs, a smart power strip, faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads, dye tablets, and more!
Customize your kit here: tiny.cc/ufsaraext_conservekit.
* For qualified, low-income residents.

LEARN MORE
ATTEND VISIT SCHEDULE A FREE REGISTER FOR
OUR CLASSES OUR WEBSITE 1:1 CONSULTATION SELF-PACED CLASSES
tiny.cc/ufsaraext_events energyupgradetoday.com 941.861.9829 tiny.cc/ufsaraext_selfpace

QUESTIONS? Call 941-861-9829 or email SustainableSarasota@scgov.net

UTILITY BILL PAYMENT ASSISTANCE OTHER
2-1-1 Suncoast FINANCIAL
211 ASSISTANCE
Get in touch with a multilingual specialist who can direct you to local
organizations that provide financial assistance. Weatherization
Assistance Program
Salvation Army – Emergency Financial Assistance Office 941-827-2887
941-364-8846 Free, low-income qualified
Assistance with utility bills and other services. energy upgrades.

FPL Care to Share Office of Housing and Community

800-226-3545 Development Rehabilitation Program
Receive up to $500 total over 12 months to pay FPL bill. 941-951-3640
Up to $60,000 of 0% interest loans for
FPL Budget Billing owner-occupied rehabilitation program.
800-226-3545
Pay the same amount every month. United Way
941-366-2686
Jewish Family and Children's Services - Suncoast Get connected to financial assistance
941-366-2224 through a highly trained specialist.
Utility assistance for families, veterans and
residents of Jewish descent. Sarasota County Energy Upgrade
941-861-5000
Caritas Ministry sustainablesarasota@scgov.net
941-366-4210 / 941-366-5620 Call for energy-saving help through in-home
Emergency assistance for those with evaluations, energy audits, DIY kits, and classes!
acute financial needs or facing shutoffs.
The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center
Senior Friendship Center 941-365-4545
941-955-2122 Home to 18-plus nonprofit health and human services
Assistance to individuals age 60 or older. agencies that help low-income individuals and families.

More Too Life

888-544-2872
Rental assistance for victims of human trafficking.
St. Thomas Moore / St. Vincent de Paul
941-447-8950
Financial assistance on a case-by-case basis.

UF/IFAS EXTENSION SARASOTA COUNTY

6700 Clark Road, Sarasota 34241 | 941-861-5000 | sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasota | sarasota@ifas.ufl.edu

An Equal Opportunity Institution. The University of Florida is committed to providing universal access to all of our events.
For disability accommodations, such as alternate formats of written material, please contact 941-861-5000 or sarasota@ifas.ufl.edu
at least two weeks in advance. Learn more at ada.ufl.edu and scgov.net/ada.